MINDFULNESS IS SEEMINGLY EVERYWHERE
That’s a great thing, when training is offered well
Let’s see if we can explore what mindfulness is on a personal, experiential level using ‘real-life’ exercises to guide us through, then we will touch on some of the ‘classic’ definitions. Here goes:
Mindfulness is all about the ‘NOW & HOW’
Being present as opposed to functioning on ‘autopilot’
Prof. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is accredited with bringing training in mindfulness to Western cultures in the late 1970s, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally”
Rob Nairn, another renowned expert teacher (Mindfulness Association Ltd, UK), defines mindfulness as "knowing what is happening, when it is happening, without preference".
Regardless of the subtle differences in the words used, the sense of knowing that Kabat-Zinn, Nairn and many others describe is not simply awareness of what is happening all around us, at any given time, but also what is happening within us. Another critical element of these definitions is the quality with which we pay attention: without judgement or preference. This implies that in mindfulness training we learn skills to enable us simply to observe and bear witness to the processes of thought & thinking and how this impacts on feeling & moods. Thoughts themselves often aren't troublesome - its our habitual reactions, judgements, preferences and comparisons in relation to thoughts, thinking or feelings that bring the challenges.
Our short video clip explores mindfulness in a few minutes.
When are not fully paying attention we are said to operate on AUTOMATIC PILOT (sometimes called ‘doing-mode’). The impact of functioning in doing mode is that we can be easily caught ‘off guard’ by passing thoughts of the mind or feelings – because we simply don’t observe or feel them arising. Furthermore we tend to repeat habitual, reactive and automatic patterns of thought, feelings and reaction to any given experiences.
“Life is not what it’s supposed to be. It’s what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference”
Virginia Satir
Learning to be mindful involves:
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Knowing what is going on in the mind and body in response to present moment experiences
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Recognising habitual and automatic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving
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Training ourselves to be able to re-direct the attention to a focus of our own choosing
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Cultivating new attitudes that help us relate more responsively to whatever we are engaged in
This quality of mindful awareness means:
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We are less likely to be hijacked by passing thoughts, feelings, moods & physical sensations
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We can chose to respond to challenge skilfully
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We can be fully engaged and connected to what’s going on moment by moment
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We can enjoy more fully our experience of life.
A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE
Ever heard of the phrase "the more you practice the better you get"?
Make yourself comfortable, sit back and listen to a typical, short mindfulness practice
There’s plenty to read, download and watch on the subject mindfulness. Training to be mindful is not complex, but takes personal effort, some commitment and practice. You can train to be mindful on a private, individual basis or in a group setting (either with others members of the general public who are keen to learn more, with work colleagues or in a school setting) but it is only effective when you train, practice and integrate mindfulness into your daily life. It’s really up to you and your personal circumstances.
So, now you have the gist of it, let’s look at the MANY benefits of training in mindfulness or mindful self-compassion or find out more about our training courses.